The Linux "open-source" software is a showcase for the Net Age ongoing phenomenon. What makes this disk operating system so interesting is that Linux would not be what it is today without the Internet: a challenge to the monopolistic hold of Microsoft's Windows.
Linux was started in 1991 by a Finnish hacker called "Linus" Trovalds. A highly intuitive engineer with an uncanny ability for programming simplification. With time, a loose fraternity developed between a group of hackers and its center of gravity Linus, also described as a "benevolent dictator". Through years of development Linux has become unmatched in reliability and performance. This happened with the help of a constellation of volunteer programmers from all over the planet. The logo or mascot for Linux is a penguin. The mere fact that a penguin has been chosen is refreshing, especially that an Antarctic mammal is now challenging a Goliath like Microsoft: Linux growth share of the market is now outpacing Windows NT.
Needless to say that Linux is not driven by a corporate culture of in-house programmers. Profit and dividends are not its end goal. Its "open-source" ideology is a challenge to the corporate culture. It might be said that part of the popularity of the software stems from the animosity generated towards the monopolistic hold of Microsoft. The fact that some old rivals like IBM and Oracle jumped on the Linux bandwagon when they perceived that their common foe could be in trouble helped a "bit".
The underlying significance of Linux culture is the exposure of an emerging current. Foremost, this dynamic is based in the divergence of two organizational systems. For the sake of simplicity lets call this development a parallel organizational thrust. One is based on the so-called "information technology", with its emphasis on technology itself as a tool of progress, and the second is tentatively described here as a communication synergy. The first has been the hierarchical foundation of our "western" civilization, its symbol being the pyramid.
The second is an undercurrent of the information technologies that lies within its tribal cultural system but overlaps outside its boundaries by the interaction and self abnegation of its hackers.
Eric Raymond's observation made by his friend Jeff Dutky in The Cathedral and the Bazaar, states:
"Jeff observes that although debugging requires debuggers to
communicate with some coordinating developer, it doesn't require
significant coordination between debuggers. Thus it doesn't fall prey to
the same quadratic complexity and management costs that make adding
developers problematic"
On one hand, the information technologies are based on the gathering, the storing and the control of information data, for the sole purpose of tribal profit. On the other hand, the Internet steps outside tribal boundaries and overlaps into an unhindered linking outside the top-down control.
More important, the two operating systems represent two forms of organizational types: one is corporative, the other is cooperative. One is hierarchical, secretive and thrives on control, whereas the other is a vortex around a center of gravity, is open and thrives on chaos. By chaos, we don't mean disorderly but a complex self-adjusting form of dynamic thrust outside "man's" control. The reason why chaos has always been perceived as disorderly is because "man's" role is superfluous and causes mayhem outside its tribal boundaries. True open systems are chaotic and have a synergy of their own. Adam Smith had it right when he stated that
unhindered free markets are activated by an invisible hand.
The corporate software industry is based on "sources codes" that are kept secret from the public and are proprietary or private ownership. These codes are then converted into "binary codes", a language that the computer understands. It is secretive, exclusive and tribal. Open-source software exposes its "sources codes" to public scrutiny, everyone has access and can work on bugs that the software may have. This form of participation is visible to all, is inclusive and cooperative.
In a country famous for its duopolies, i.e.,
Apple/Windows, Intel/Microsoft, Coca-Cola/Pepsi, Democrats/Republicans, it is refreshing that a new operating system originated in Finland. A place where politics have been influenced by its border with Russian, hence "Finlandization". The cold war expression was meant to signify that Finland was careful not to annoy the Soviet Union by implementing policies that were disagreeable to its powerful neighbor. Finland is geographically close to Russia but is even closer culturally and economically to Europe. Socialism and a mixed economy have been at the core of its social and political development. This runs counter to the more individualistic US form of capitalism. Corporate culture has over the years subverted all aspects of the United States' social and political life. The result has been a quasi cult like status of the CEO gods. The consequence of which has produced unheard of disparity between a rich oligarchic minority and a growing indebted majority.
Through ever active net-working, Linux became a prototype of self-correcting and evolving organism. This non-linear operating system is brought forth by a constellation of self negating individuals attracted by a sacred mission. The programmers are induced in participating in a "wholly other" project bigger than themselves. This brings into play the notion of sacrifice of self for Being part of or Belonging to a "good" cause. This becomes in effect a spiritual endeavor that has no materialistic prerogatives.
Another aspect of this spiritual phenomenon is based on the thriving antagonism to a common foe that is perceived as threatening the foundations of Liberty.
When a living organism is threatened in nature, it triggers in its genetic "source codes" a fight for survival. Organism are genetically programmed to do so. When the survival of Liberty is being challenged by a monopolistic Goliath it triggers a spontaneous antagonism that converts itself into an alternative "vital thrust". The self negating participation of the developers in Linux's growth is such a battle for survival. Although this drive is unconscious at the individual level it has conscious attributes at the organism's level. Such is a planetary inter-linked mind layer, also called the noosphere. Eric Raymond got it right when he wrote:
"Linux was the first project to make a conscious and successful effort to
use the entire world as its talent pool." He also added: "I knew from
my email that since Bavaria, word about The Cathedral and the Bazaar
had spread over the Internet like a fire in dry grass. Many in the
audience had already read it, and my speech was less a revelation of
novelty for them than an opportunity to celebrate the new language and
the consciousness that went with it...
Needless to say that Linux's novel form of interactive synergy has come at a very opportune moment in respect to
growing tower of Babel that Windows is expected to be. At 60 million lines of
codes Windows 2000 might eventually slowly stall under its own weight. If this
turns out to be the case it will leave Linux will thrive on a planetary level.
